How long should high quality speakers last?

My ADS L1590 speakers were purchased new by me in 1984. They still sound wonderful. Unfortunately they haven’t gotten any smaller over the years. About 100 lbs. each. :-(

I also have some small Boston Accoustics speakers from the 90s (one pair was second hand). They still sound fine.

My guess is that aside from abuse it’s the environment that has the biggest impact on longevity. High humidity, temperature extremes, and physical impacts, small children, and so forth probably degrade the drivers and crossovers more than just time and use.

After owning Revel Studios (a very highly regarded loudspeaker in the early 2000s) for more than 20 years, I decided it was time to replace them even though they still worked as well, I think, as when they were new. So, why?

Comparing my Studios with several current state of the art speakers (and employing equipment/cables as similar to what I own as possible), it quickly became apparent to me that 20 years of speaker technology developments had wrought some real improvements in sound reproduction. 

Accordingly, I now own Magico A5 and am enjoying vastly improved clarity, soundstaging, and imaging.

@asvjerry LOL

My DCM Time Frame 2000s date to around 1987 or so.  I have owned them for seven years and the still sound crazy good to me.  Given the relative rarity of the pair I am reluctant to do much work.  It is also the complexity of the design.  Twin transmission lines for the two woofers.  I have seen the TF1000 crossover so this must be much more.  The back panel comes off but it is (no exaggeration) 20 screws.

I also love vintage radios to talk how long a speaker can last.  A 1948 Farnsworth Caperhart 114N2 came into my possession recently.  These were the finest home entertainment you could buy.  In 1948 this model cost 1750.  It had Jensen's 5"/15" coaxial speaker the JHP-52.  It still sounds great to me all things considered with the  cabinet.

I'M GUESSING THAT oops sorry yelling that my ears will deteriorate faster than any other component I own so yay (?) for getting older.  BTW Youtube Bobs Capehart 41e 3 conversion if you want to witness a mechanical marvel.  20 record changer on the  Capehart that could play A/B, all A than B sides and shut itself off after a preset number of plays.

Interesting. I've never thought that speakers would deteriorate over time. I have a pair of TSM MMs that could be 20 years old ( Bought used). They sound just fine to my old ears, but should I doing some "maintenance"?

I have a pair of Snell Type C bought in the mid '80's and a pair of Large Advent Utilities purchased in the late '70s.  Both have had new surrounds installed years ago, cones are still in good shape.  They still pack a punch.  I use a 400 wpc amp with high dynamic headroom on the Snell's.